l recently came across an interesting quote about food. Here, take a look :
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”
Hmmm… Such an interesting piece right? Yea it is.
Food is undoubtedly a major contributor to our physical well being. The food choices we make go a long way in determining our state of health. It is even more so in the case of a pregnant woman and the baby in her womb. It is therefore important for pregnant women to pay attention to their food diets.Experts recommend the following key components during pregnancy:
- Appropriate weight gain
- A balanced diet
- Regular Exercise
- Appropriate and timely vitamin and mineral Supplementation
To maintain a healthy pregnancy, approximately 300 extra calories are needed each day. These calories should come from a balanced diet of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Sweets and fats should be kept to the barest minimum in the diet of a pregnant woman.
On fluid intake,it is recommended that a pregnant woman takes between 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. Please do ensure the water is safe for drinking.
It will also interest you to know that a healthy, well balanced diet can also help to reduce some pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and complications.
Here is a more detailed breakdown of foods that are beneficial for health and fetal development during pregnancy:
- Vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach etc
- fruits such as mangoes, bananas, apricots, oranges , red or pink grapefruit.
- Grains: ready to eat cereals/ cooked cereals
- Proteins such as: beans and peas, nuts and seeds, lean beef, salmon etc.
Finally, Let’s consider some safe guidelines for safe food handling:
- Wash : Rinse all raw produce thoroughly under running tap water before eating, cutting or cooking.
- Clean : Wash your hands, knives, countertops and cutting boards after handling and preparing uncooked foods.
- Cook : Cook beef, pork or poultry to a safe internal temperature verified by a food thermometer.
- Chill : Promptly refrigerate all perishable food.
Oops! Time to go ..but not to worry, I’ll be back before you know it. Till then, stay healthy.
